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Repertoire for Piano One Hand


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here are a number of choices for repertoire which can be played mostly or entirely in one hand or the other. These works are valuable not only for those with hand impairments, but for studnets who need to strnegthen one hand or the other. To save download time, we have not shown the addresses of the music publishers more than once in the list below. Where a Web site exists, we have provided that in lieu of addresses and phone numbers. In cases where another name appears in parentheses after the publisher's name, that publisher's imprint is owned by the second company, according to the Music Publishers' Association. The music should be available from the second company. We thank Dr. Ted Edel for his help in assembling this list.

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Works for the right hand:

Advanced:  Jean Absil, Trois Pieces: Heroique, Tendre, Gaie.   Max Eschig (Theodore Presser), 1961; Charles Velentin Alkan, Introduction, Variations et Finale, Op 76, No. 2, Editions MR Braun; Richard Rodney Bennett, Five Studies for Piano No. 2, Universal Edition (European American Music Dist. Corp.); Cathy Berberian Kariscar, NYPL Special Collections; Marshall Bialovsky, CPE Bach Comes to the American Southwest, Two Medications on Music Of John Dunstable, Twelve Variations on an Imaginary Jewish Folk Song, Available from Sanjo Music, Box 7000-104 Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274 Phone: (310)541-8213; Allan Bank, Six Studies for Piano One Hand (left or right) Sets I and II, Both sets available from American Composers Editions; Paul Bliss, Two Compositions: Forest Echos, The Winding Road, Theodore Presser Publishing; Ed deBoer, Toccata Amsterdam, Donemus (Theodore Presser), 1978; York Bowen, Caprice from Curiosity Suite, Op 42, Five Sketches, DeWolfe Ltd; John Branson, Prelude (Willis Music, 7380 Industrial Road, Florence, KY 41042 Phone: (606) 283-2050 Fax: (606) 283-1784); Louis Calabro, Fantasy (1984); Auguste Dupont, Fantasie et Fugue, Schott edition (European American Music Dist. Corp.);   Beatrice Hatton Fish, A Right Hand Trick, Schroeder and Gunther, Publishers (Hal Leonard Corp); Arthur Foote, Prelude-Etude Op 37, No. 1, AP Schmidt, Publishers (Warner Brothers Publications, Inc.,15800 N.W. 48th Avenue, Miami, FL 33014 Phone: (305) 620-1500 Fax: (305) 621-1094); Peter Racine Fricker, 12 Studies for Piano, Op 56, Schott Publishers; Ned Rorem, 8 Etudes for Piano, Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.,Concerti for right hand alone or for 3 hands: Henri Cliquet-Pleyel, Concerto for 3 hands and Orchestra (Jobert Publishers, Theodore Presser); Malcolm Arnold, Concerto, and Phyllis and Cyril, G. Schirmer, Inc. and Associated Music Publishers, Inc Edition; Arthus Bliss, Concerto for 2 pianos, 3 hands, Op. 17; Gordon Jacob, Concerto, Novello publishers (Music Sales Corporation); Gunther Schuller, Concerto for 3 hands, Premiered in 1990 by Lorin Hollander and Leon Fleisher and the Illinois Chamber Orchestra

Intermediate: Carl Czerny, Etude for One Hand; Eduard Marxsen, La Ricordanza from 3 Impromptus, Op. 33 "Hommage a Dreyscheck"; Capriccio in E flat for the right hand alone,Op. 26 No.2, by Rudolph Ganz; Brian Elias, Five Piano Pieces,  J and W Chester, Ltd Publishers(G. Schirmer, Inc. and Associated Music Publishers, Inc); Henry Holden Huss, Prelude No 3 from 4 Preludes en Forme d'etudes, Op 17, Schirmer edition; Soulima Stravinsky, Piano Suite for Right Hand, Sonatina Terza, Peters Edition 373 Park Avenue South New York NY 10016 Phone: (212) 686-4147 Fax: (212) 689-9412; Philip Wilkinson, Suite: Left Hand, Right Hand, Aschergerg, Hopwood and Crew, Publishers.

Beginning: Ella Ketterer, Valse Melodique, Theodore Presser edition; Cedric Wilmont Lemont, Valse in C major, Presser; Harry Meyerowitz, Three Piano Compositions, G. Schirmer, Inc. and Associated Music Publishers, Inc (easy instructional material); Eugenie Rocherolle, Hands Separately, Kjos Music Co., 4380 Jutland Dr, San Diego, CA 92117 Phone: (619)270-9800 Fax: (619)270-3507.

Works for the left hand:

Advanced: Piano Music for One Hand (classical pieces for both the right and left hand, ranging from beginner to advanced), Raymond Lewenthal, Ed., Schirmer; Bela Bartok, Etude in B Flat (1903), Boosey and Hawkes, Dover Volume I; Johannes Brahms, Chaconne for Solo Violin by J.S. Bach from Second Violin Partita, Ricordi (Hal Leonard Corp), Simrock, Breitkopf and Hartel editions; Johannes Brahms, Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in d minor for solo violin BWV 1016, Ricordi, Breitkopf editions; Ernst Von Dohnanyi, Fugue (1913), Associated; Leopold Godowsky, Studies on Chopin’s Etudes, Suite, Impromptu, Schirmer; Isidor Phillip, Exercises et etudes techniques, Durand; Emil Sauer, Waldandacht, Schott; Emil Sauer, Konzert-Etude No. 28; Scriabin, Nocturne and Prelude Op. 9.
Music For Piano left hand and Orchestra: Benjamin Britten, Diversions Op 21, Boosey and Hawkes; Erich Korngold, Klavierkonzerten in C # Op. 17, Schott; Sergei Prokofieff, Concerto No. 4 in B flat Op 53, International; Maurice Ravel, Concerto in D, Durand; Ned Rorem, Concerto No. 4, Boosey and Hawkes; Richard Strauss, Parergon zur Symphonia Domestica, Op. 73, Boosey and Hawkes

Intermediate: CPE Bach (did you know that he was left handed?) Klavierstucke in a for One Hand, 3 241, Kleine Stucke Fur Klavier; Freda Bailey, Nocturne for a Left Hand Performer; Ludwig Berger, Etudes, Op. 12, Peters; Carl Czerny, Two Etudes, Op. 735, Mechetti edition.; Etude in B Flat (1903), Boosey-Hawkes, Kalmus, Dover Vol I; Herman Berens, The Training of the Left Hand Op. 89, Peters edition; Ludwig Berger, Etude Op. 12 No. 9 in G Major, Peters; Elsa Calcagno, 12 Preludios, Ricordi Edition; Felix De Cola Transcriptions: Beethoven’s Minuet in G , Chopin’s Prelude in A major and c minor and others; Carl Czerny, 2 Etudes Op. 735, Etude for Left Hand in A Major; C. C. Dean,  Il Penseroso Op. 45 No. 16, Summy Co; Joseph Dichler, Intermezzo and Capriccio, Doblinger Pub.; Percival Driver, Single Handed Pieces (4 books), Boosey and Hawkes; George Eggeling, Melodie in F# minor, Schmidt; George Eggeling, On the Lagoon, Barcarolle. Op 165, Presser; Arthur Foote, Three Piano Pieces Op. 37, Schmidt; Godowsky, Elegy, Mediation, 6 Waltz Poems, Carl Fischer; Joseph Kessler, Studies Op 21 and Op. 51, Etude in F minor; Hamilton Macdougall, Graded Material for the Left Hand, Ditson; Arthur Parson, Solfeggietto by CPE Bach, Schirmer; Manuel Ponce, Prelude and Fugue; Max Reger, 4 Spezial Studien, Universal; Schultz-Biesantz, editors Album of Classical Piano Music for One Hand Alone, Peters Ed; Fritz Teichman, Lyric pieces by Edvard Grieg for left or right hand, Peters Ed; Sara Scott Woods, Waltz in A Major Op. 39 No 165 by Brahms, Presser

Beginning:Yvonne Adair, Three Preludes, Joseph Williams Ltd. 1930; Maisie Aldridge, The Bass Clef Book, Galaxy Music Corp.;  Beatrice Bentley, A Happy Heart, Just a -Foolin', Prince Fairy Foot, Vagrant Breeze, CF Summy Co (Warner Brothers Publications, Inc.,15800 N.W. 48th Avenue, Miami, FL 33014 Phone: (305) 620-1500 Fax: (305) 621-1094); Hermann Berens, Die Pflege Der Linken Hand (The Training of the Left Hand), Op. 89, CF Peters Edition; Francesco Berger, Six Bagatelles Augener edition; Ralph Berkowitz, The Right Hand's Vacation; Five Pieces for the Left Hand Alone, Elkan-Vogel edition (Henri Elkan Music Publishing Co., Inc., P.O. Box 965, Planetarium Station, New York, NY 10024 Phone: (212) 877-8350 Fax: (212) 877-8350); Mathilde Bilbro, Melody in D Flat, White-Smith Publications; Paul Bliss, Three Fancies, BF Wood Publishers; Frank Bridge, Three Improvisations, W. Rogers edition; Elsa Calcagno, 12 Preludes, Ricordi edition; Felix de Cola (he gave piano lessons to Harpo Marx and invented music systems for the blind) Left Hand-right Foot; Transcriptions: Beethoven's Minuet in G, Chopin's Preludes in a Major and C Minor; Yvonne Adair Three Preludes, Joseph William Ltd,. London; Maisie Aldridge The Bass Clef Book, Galaxy Music Corp.; CPE Bach, Kleine Stucke fur Klavier (Klavierstucke in A), edited by O. Vrieslander; Edmund Eysler 12 Etuden; Arthur Foote, A Little Waltz Op. 6 No. 4, Schmidt Publications; John Franklyn, Dainty Novellettes, Willis Co; Adolph Frey, Valse Lente, Valse Romantique Ditson Pub.; Francis Goddard, Nocturne, Ditson; Richard Hoffman, Venetian Serenade, Presser; Joan Lovell, 6 Pieces; The Circus, Augener Ltd; Lynn Freeman Olson, Various Compositions including Piano for one hand, 6 graded levels of difficulty; David Peter, Prelude in e minor, Art Publishing Co; Eugenie Rocherolle, Hands Separately, Kjos Music; Daniel Rowe, March of the Midgets, Presser; A. Louis Scarmolin, Marigolds, Presser; Susan Schmitt,   Three Easy Studies, Boston Music Co; John S. Thompson, For Left Hand Alone, Willis Music Co.; John Franklin, Dainty Novelettes, Willis Co.

Excellent reference book: Piano Music for One Hand by Theodore Edel, clothbound, ISBN 0-253-31905-6, $19.95, Published by Indiana University Press. Also see our interview with Dr. Edel.

Additional works for piano one hand (courtesy of Dr. Theodore Edel)

Some of these works were never published. "Australian" means the music is found in Music for One Hand by Australian Composers (Allans Music, 1984)

SOLO WORKS FOR RIGHT HAND ALONE

Jean Absil. Trois pièces: Heroïque, Tendre, Gaie (1940). (Max Eschig, 1961).
Charles Alkan. Introduction, variations et finale, op. 76 (Editions M.R. Brown, c. 1838)
Cathy Berberian. Moriscat(h)y. (Universal, 1971)
Richard Rodney Bennett. Study No. 2 from 5 Studies for Piano, 1962-64, (Universal)
Miguel Jiménez Bernal. Toccatina para la mano derecha, from Antigua Valladolid (The Ancient City). Peer International Corp. 1954
Marshall Bialosky. C.P.E. Bach Comes to the American Southwest; Two Meditations on Music of John Dunstable; Twelve Variations on an Imaginary Jewish Folk Song. (Sanjo Music)
Paul Bliss. Two Compositions: Forest Echoes, The Winding Road. (T. Presser,1926).
Ed De Boer. Toccata. (Donemus, 1978)
York Bowen. Caprice from Curiosity Suite, op. 42 (J. Williams); Five Sketches. (De Wolfe Ltd.)
John Branson. Prelude (Willis Music, 1989).
Colin Brumby: Reverie (In "Australian")
Louis Calabro Fantasy for Piano Right Hand (1984)
Carson Cooman: Etude for Right Hand "The Ornathalogist".
Tina Davidson. I Am the Last Witness. (Unpublished ms., 1984) Amer. Music Center
August Dupont: Fantasie et Fugue, op. 41 (1875)
Ross Edwards. Three Little Piano Pieces (In "Australian")
Brian Elias. Five Piano Pieces. (J & W Chester, Ltd., 1972)
Vivian Fine. The Flicker (Gunmar Music, 1973)
Beatrice Hatton Fisk. A Right Hand Trick (Schroeder & Gunther, 1944).
Arthur Foote Prelude-Etude, op. 37 no. 1. (A.P. Schmidt, 1897)
Peter Racine Fricker Etude op. 38, no. 9 (Schott, 1962).
David Gallasch. Space Music (In "Australian")
Rudolph Ganz. Capriccio, op. 26 no. 2. (G. Schirmer, 1917)
Peter Golub: Six Pieces (1980)
Cor De Groot: "In any direction", A Poem for the Right Hand Only with 2 Pedals (Donemus, 1974)
Shirley Harris: Study in A minor
William Hawkey: Playmates (in "Australian")
Marjorie Hicks. 2 Indispositions. (BMI Canada, Ltd., 1969). Indisposed Left Hand: Scherzino
Margariet Hoenderdos. Es verjüngt sich nach unten. (Donemus, 1986)
Henry Holden Huss. Prélude No. 3 from 4 Préludes en forme d'études, op. 17 (G. Schirmer, 1901)
Frank Hutchens. Vienna Interlude: Piano Study. (Allan & Co., 1954)
Miriam Hyde: Three Concert Studies
Ella Ketterer: Valse Melodique. (T. Presser, 1951).
Karl Kohn: Etude for the Right Hand (and Foot), 1978. American Music Center
Ellis Kohs: Etude Variations on a Sestatonic Scale (A-B-C-D-D#-E) After a Theme by Johannes Brahms
and E.B. Kohs' Fantasy II for Solo Violin). (Ms, 1985) Amer. Music Center
Ellis Kohs: Ten Two-Voice Inventions, nos. 3 and 8 unpublished ms., (no date) Amer. Composers Alliance.
Walter Lang: Etude no. 4 from 10 Klavier-Etüden, op. 74 (Hug, 1964)
Elizabeth Lauer: Dextravaganza. (Amer. Composers Alliance, 1991)
Jeffrey Leask: Film Theme (in "Australian")
Cedric Wilmont Lemont. Valse in C major, (T. Presser, 1929).
Jeffrey Levine: Soliloquy for the Right Hand (1982)
Otto Luening: The Right Hand Path (1984)
Wladyslawa Markiewiczowna: Przy Studni, No. 5: Etiuda Na Prawa Reke [By the Well]. (Dom Muzyki Polskies).
Harry Meyerowitz: Three Piano Compositions: Gavotte, Waltzing Snowflakes; An Old Chinese Music Box. (G. Schirmer, 1941).
Georges Migot: 5 Etudes en forme de suite. (Leduc, 1941).
Maryanne Nagy: 1-handed Solitaire
Allison Nowak: View for Piano Right Hand (1981)
L. Augustus Nowak: Theme and Variations (1987)
Lionel Nowak: Practice Piece (1982)
Marcello Panni: Appunto 8.68. (Edizioni Zuvini Zerboni, 1972).
Felix Petyrek: Zwei Tanzstücke. In Einhändig, ed. Walter Georgii (P.J.Tonger [n.d.])
John Robert Poe: Look Ma, One Hand. (Kjos)
Robert E. Pollock: Short Study. (Mobart Music, 1979). Ms.
Mischa Portnoff: Trilogy — Suite
Valentino Ragni: Mosaiken. (Hug, 1982)
Eugénie R. Rocherolle: Etude and Waltz, two of the four pieces in Hands Separately (Kjos, 1989)
Ned Rorem: Etude no. 7 from Eight Etudes (Boosey & Hawkes, 1976)
Gustave Samazeuilh. Souvenir from Esquisses (Durand, 1948)
Maya Sauter: Improvisationen zum Transponieren, Nos. 1 and 3. (Pelikan)
Allen Shawn: Six Miniatures (1988)
Lucijan Marija Skerjanc: Six Pieces (Ljubljana, 1952). Nos. 1, 2, and 3
E. De Santa Sourget: Gavotte Variée (1881)
Soulima Stravinsky: Piano Suite (C.F. Peters, 1980);
Soulima Stravinsky: First mvt., Fantasia piccola, from Sonatina Terza (C.F. Peters, 1975).
Yuji Takahashi: 3 Poems of Mao Tse-Tung. (Zen-On Music, 1976).
Gunther Tautenhahn: Bagatelle. (See-Saw Music, 1976)
Phillip Wilkinson: Suite -- Left Hand, Right Hand. (Ascherberg, Hopwood & Crew, Ltd., 1966) Mvts. 2, 4, and 6.
Mary Wurm: Etude, op. 42, no. 2 (Steingraber, c. 1905)

FOR LEFT OR RIGHT HAND
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Piece in A major (International, ed. Vrieslander)
Allan Blank: Six Studies for Piano One Hand, 2 Sets (American Composers Editions, 1992/1993).
Maria Büttner: 6 Osterreichische Tänze (Doblinger, 1946)
Carl Czerny: Etude in A major. In Piano Music for One Hand (G. Schirmer,1972)
Eric Gross: For 5 fingers or 1 hand (in "Australian")
Samuel Wellman. Waltzes, op. 75 "for left hand, or right hand if you insist". Amer Music Center


CONCERTI FOR THREE HANDS AND ORCHESTRA
Malcolm Arnold: Concerto for Phyllis and Cyril (G. Schirmer, 1969)
Arthur Bliss. Concerto, op. 17 (1968) [revision of his 1924 Concerto for 2 pianos.]
Gordon Jacob. Concerto (Novello, 1969)

FOR TWO RIGHT HANDS
Franco Margola: Sonata pianistica per due mani destre (Bongiovanni, 1969).

CHAMBER MUSIC
Louis Calabro: In(ter)vention for Piano Right Hand and Six Kettle Drums

Page created: 4/13/99
Last updated: 05/09/07
Top of page! Some Guidelines and Sources for Choosing Repertoire | Musical Discovery: Some Thoughts on Choosing Repertoire | The Teaching Studio | Piano Education Home

Reprinting from the Piano Education Page The Piano Education Page, Op. 8, No. 1, © Copyright 2001-2007 John M. Zeigler. Portions copyright 1995-2000 John M. Zeigler and Nancy L. Ostromencki. All rights reserved.